Confederation Line once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Ottawa

This sketch provided by the City of Ottawa shows the Downtown West Station of the new light-rail transit line. (File photo)

Today is a historic day for the City of Ottawa. This morning, city council makes a decision on the proposed Confederation Line light rail transit project.

This day has been years in the making. Routes plotted and methods considered. False starts and reset buttons. Debates, studies and consultations. We have been through a lot with this project. And we have been through it together.

This rigorous process has given us the best system possible, and the final proposal addresses the major concerns that residents — myself included — had about the project.

The design has been re-engineered to keep the project on budget and get the best value for money. We have built in significant protections for taxpayers. The biggest risks — such as tunnel construction — have been moved off of the City and onto the private sector. These measures will help deliver a system worthy of a G8 capital city — on time, on budget, and at a fixed price.

The system will be fully operational in 2018 — cutting commute times, transforming our city, and giving us a world-class system of which we can truly be proud. It has been a long road to get here, and there is a long road in front of us. If city council approves the project today, it sets clear, high expectations for the way forward.

First, we need to build confidence in our ability to get the job done.

To the average resident, it must seem like we are always debating the same few issues, and it is never clear when we are moving forward. I know that seeing is believing. It will take more than committee reports and pretty pictures to prove to residents that we are finally making progress. And I look forward to demonstrating this progress when we get the shovels in the ground in just a few months, as we undertake the widening of the Queensway.

Second, we need to be patient and stay focused on the task at hand.

I know that residents in our west, east and south ends are excited to know when they can jump on the train in their neighbourhoods. But the success of the first phase — the Confederation Line — matters, no matter where you live in the city. It is the foundation on which we will build future extensions and lines — but we need to get the fundamentals right first. No city in the world has built its entire transit system all at once.

There will be traffic impacts at different times and in different areas across the city — some short-term pain in exchange for significant long-term gain. I will work with Council to ensure that we keep an eye on the ball, which means delivering the Confederation Line on time and on budget.

Third, we need to take full advantage of this opportunity as a city and a community.

This project is more than just a rail line. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is worth getting excited about. Moving forward will mean significant direct and indirect economic spinoffs, including new jobs and apprenticeship opportunities. It will allow us to re-imagine our downtown core, which will be liberated by far less bus traffic.

We can begin to plan smart transit-oriented development around main transit hubs — housing, retail and businesses in places where it will be easy to jump on the Confederation Line.

I hope all residents and businesses get involved in helping plan and build the Ottawa of tomorrow.

Confederation Line once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Ottawa

Today is a historic day for the City of Ottawa. This morning, city council makes a decision on the proposed Confederation Line light rail transit project.

This day has been years in the making. Routes plotted and methods considered. False starts and reset buttons. Debates, studies and consultations. We have been through a lot with this project. And we have been through it together.

This rigorous process has given us the best system possible, and the final proposal addresses the major concerns that residents — myself included — had about the project.